


5 Things Hubert Learned about Ferdinand

by diddlydang



Series: The Ferdibert Collection [13]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22231618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diddlydang/pseuds/diddlydang
Summary: And the 1 thing Ferdinand told him.---“You are very gentle.”“I would hate to hurt you.” Hubert moves one hand to scratch lightly at Ferdinand’s scalp, taking time to enjoy the noise Ferdinand lets out before going back to braiding the long hair. “You take very good care of your hair. It would be remiss of me to neglect it.”“I know. It’s just very enjoyable. I’m usually the only one who touches it.”
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra
Series: The Ferdibert Collection [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1480094
Comments: 24
Kudos: 469





	5 Things Hubert Learned about Ferdinand

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be pure fluff but I got my angsty little hands all over it so WHOOPS!

**1\. His hair is soft.**

Ferdinand’s hair is soft under his fingertips. 

He used to wonder what it felt like, even back during their Academy days, but when he had let it grow out that desire had only grown more. It was almost unbearable watching it wave gently in the breeze when they took tea breaks; the sun making the orange stand out even more. 

But with Ferdinand’s head lying in his lap, he couldn’t help himself anymore. 

The nerves in his hands aren’t the best from years of black magic. It tinted the ends of his fingers black, tiny spider web lines extending down them, standing out in the gradient of black to pale skin. Not all texture is lost to him. 

Things like the silky smooth texture of Ferdie’s hair, for instance. He can still feel some of it.

“That feels wonderful.” Ferdinand sighs out. His eyes are closed and his expression is content, all the worry lines he had earlier smoothed out. Hubert is glad he can do this small service for him. 

“Would you like me to braid it?” He asks. Ferdinand’s eyes slide open and he grins up at Hubert. The sight makes his heart skip a beat. 

“You know how?”

“I have done Lady Edelgard’s hair on many occasions.” He says, already beginning the braid. “I am quite adept at different hairstyles.”

Ferdinand’s eyes close again, the grin turning into a lazy smile. He hums underneath him, causing Hubert’s hands to still as he takes a moment to listen. He is grateful Ferdinand doesn’t stop during his lapse, continuing to hum and crossing his ankles. 

The simple move shouldn’t be as cute to Hubert as it is, but it warms his heart all the same. 

He leans more against the tree his back is against, not having to focus all his attention to the braid. Hubert knows the motions well enough he can do it on auto-pilot. He would rather focus on the feeling of having Ferdinand close to him, with him. It is an exhilarating one he never would have thought he could indulge in, but here he is. 

“You are very gentle.”

“I would hate to hurt you.” Hubert moves one hand to scratch lightly at Ferdinand’s scalp, taking time to enjoy the noise Ferdinand lets out before going back to braiding the long hair. “You take very good care of your hair. It would be remiss of me to neglect it.”

“I know. It’s just very enjoyable. I’m usually the only one who touches it.”

He hums, finishing the braid up. There are still some strands framing Ferdinand’s face, but other than that, it’s all neatly secured in a loose and comfortable braid. It’s unfortunate that he can no longer play with his hair, but it was worth it for Ferdinand to look this way. 

“It suits you.” Hubert says. He thinks Ferdinand could pull any look off, given the chance.

“The braid?”

“Yes. But I was referring to the long hair. I know you let it grow out of necessity, but you wear it very well.”

Ferdinand’s nose twitches and his cheeks take a rosy hue. “Oh, t-thank you.” Ferdinand reaches up and scratches at his jaw. Hubert guesses it’s because he can’t really fuss with his hair, which Ferdinand does when he’s nervous. “I was wondering if I should cut it once the war was over.”

While Hubert may love Ferdinand, and in every form he takes, he is not above admitting (at least to himself) that he has a particular weakness for the long hair. “I think you should keep it long.” Then he thinks about it. “Put it up in battle, though. It’s practically begging to be tugged on.” 

Not that Hubert thinks about that. 

Nope. 

“I do.“ Ferdinand whines, “It always comes out during battle!”

“I’ll do it for you.” The reply leaves his mouth before his brain can process it. “I don’t mind. It may save your life.”

Ferdinand amber eyes open and bright as he looks at him. He’s beautiful, Hubert can’t help but think. Warmer colors suit Ferdinand but the gentle blue light from the moon fits him just as well. In fact, it may even bring out the warmer tones he gives off. Contrast or something like that, Hubert is no artist.

“I would like that.” His eyes crinkle when he says it, nose wrinkling as he smiles. “Thank you, Hubert.”

“Of course.” Hubert says. _I would do anything for you,_ he thinks, but he doesn’t say it. His devotion, the love he has is a selfish and possessive thing, for both him and those he cherishes. It is too early for him to succumb Ferdinand to it. 

But this?

These easy nights underneath a tree, laying on the grass and listening to the crickets, Ferdinand in his lap, perfectly happy to be there?

He will take this easy affection between them, it is one thing he loves about Ferdinand. How easy it is to be alive and happy. He makes it easy by doing nothing.

All he has done is offered himself to Hubert, and it is more than enough for Hubert to fall deeper into the hole that are his feelings for Ferdinand. 

He doesn’t need Ferdinand to feel the same about him to be happy. As long as he has these moments where he’s allowed to be close with the man he loves, allowed to touch him with his ruined hands and care for him, he’s happy.

**2\. He’s lonely**

“Hubert! Still working?”

“I am.” Hubert twists slightly in his chair so he can face Ferdie. The younger man is holding a bundle of books in each elbow, a lit candle in one of his hands. “That’s quite the heavy load, isn’t it?”

“We are at war, Hubert. One can never be too prepared. Do you mind if I sit with you?” Hubert nods, nudging the chair next to him out with his foot. Ferdinand gives him a grateful smile and sets the books down before taking the seat. 

“What were you working on?”

“I was looking over the reports the others sent in.”

Ferdinand hums and opens up one of his many books. There’s a loose piece of parchment paper in it that’s littered in Ferdinand’s flowing handwriting. From just a glance, he can see the notes are disorganized, scrawled wherever there was room. It’s an interesting difference to how neat his handwriting is. 

Hubert pushes his inkwell between them. “If you need to write, you can use my ink.”

“Thank you, Hubert.” There is only the quiet scratching of both their quills for some time before Ferdinand speaks again. “I was glad to see you here. We have had little time to see each other as often as we used to, with the war starting to come to a head.

“Yes. I… missed it too.”

He hears Ferdinand’s quill stop at his words and he knows the other man is looking at him, but he cannot bring himself to look back. He can picture Ferdinand’s face now, the smile he gets when he’s happy but embarrassed, lips curling around his corners.

“Truly?” His tone carries that self-conscious part of Ferdinand that appeared during the war, the one that didn’t exist during their youth. It’s equal parts hopeful and surprised. “That makes me glad.” He continues, quietly, “We should try to make more time to do things like these. Perhaps not so late. Sleep is important.”

It isn’t right to see someone like Ferdinand be unsure of someone wanting to spend time with him. 

He’s lonely, Hubert figures. From their time at Garreg Mach, Ferdinand never seemed to find friends. In fact, most members of the Black Eagles went out of their way to avoid him and his rambles on ‘noble etiquette’.

People avoided Hubert too. However, unlike Ferdinand, he always had Edelgard, from his childhood and for the rest of his life. He doubts Ferdinand had such a support system.

For more than the first time, he wonders if Ferdinand’s vaguely sibling-like rivalry with Edelgard came from more than wanting to be an advisor.

Maybe he just wanted to have a real relationship with someone and he’d never been taught how to do that. Goddess knows Duke Aegir wouldn’t have taught him.

And, once more, it explains why he and Lorenz have - and still do - such a high rapport between them. They are both uniquely able to understand each other in a way that everyone else had missed. 

It’s much like him and Edelgard, in a way.

Ferdinand is back to writing so Hubert deems it safe to look back over at him, struck with how he looks in the low candlelight. His hair is loose, let down from the braid Hubert had put it in earlier that morning, but the waves are still there, shining a beautiful red in the candle's glow. His tan skin is a soft gold, the freckles that scattered his face more prominent. 

Objectively, Hubert knows Ferdinand is an attractive man. Subjectively, he may be the most gorgeous man Hubert has ever seen. 

Ferdinand looks back up, expression faltering when he sees Hubert staring. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” He says, because he’s with Ferdinand. Call him a besotted fool, but he’s finding it increasingly difficult to see anything as an annoyance if Ferdinand is there. “But you are right. We should retire for the night.”

“Ah,” Ferdinand gets up, almost stumbling in his haste, “Yes, you’re right. I apologize.” He gathers his things and disappears behind a bookshelf before Hubert can say anything else.

Hubert can tell he’s made an error. Where, he’s not entirely sure. “Ferdinand?”

“Yes?”

“Are you alright? You got up fairly quickly.”

There’s no response after that. After a few quiet moments, Ferdinand reappears, hands bereft of any books. “I didn’t mean to hold you here. I know I can talk long.”

Oh. “Ferdinand, we didn’t actually talk that much.”

Even with the faint light, he can see Ferdinand’s face darken. “Well, I suppose...” and he can also see how his lips turn down in a frown, and his lip wobbles. To his dismay, he thinks Ferdinand might be on the brink of tears. “Either way, we should get to bed.”

Hubert longs to reach out to him, to comfort, but those gentler arts are all but lost to him. As it is, he can only say, “Ferdinand.”

“Yes?” He doesn’t imagine the way Ferdinand’s voice shakes.

“I feel I have said something that upset you.” Hubert says. Sometimes it’s easier to coax things out and sometimes he needs an immediate answer. 

Unsurprisingly, the latter usually pertains to his moments with Ferdinand. 

“Upset me? That’s, that’s preposterous!” Ferdinand asks, voice betraying how upset he is. “You have done nothing of the sort! If you had, I would have let you know!”

“You sound like you’re about to cry.” Hubert winces at the complete lack of tact. He also considers slapping himself. _‘You are a complete and utter idiot.’_

Ferdinand’s face grows even more pinched, and oh Goddess, those are definitely tears. “No I don’t.” His voice cracked as he spoke.

“Ferdinand.” Hubert knows nothing else to say.

“I…” Ferdinand’s gaze drops to the ground and his hands clench. “If I didn’t talk too much, then I can only assume you wish to leave because of me.”

“Or because we need sleep.” Like Hubert had said. Like what Ferdinand himself had even said.

Ferdinand screws his eyes shut. The part of Hubert that wanted to touch comes back, the desire to protect almost suffocating. He smothers it, not sure what he could even do if he allowed it.

“Do not lie to me, Hubert.” Ferdinand grinds out, “I would rather you be honest about wishing to escape my company.”

“Have you ever known me to lie to you?” When Ferdinand slowly shakes his head he continues, “Then you should know that I wouldn’t start now, especially over something like this.”

They stand silently, Hubert watching Ferdinand and the latter staring at the floor. “I think you are right.” Ferdinand says eventually.

“What?”

“About sleep,” Ferdinand squints his eyes as if he’s in pain, “I pray the only reason I’ve acted like a buffoon is because I’m tired.”

Hubert stands there, a little awkward, as Ferdinand wipes at his eyes. He agrees that Ferdinand’s response was because of some underlying issue, but he’s not entirely sure it was sleep. It could be the stress of war getting to him, or a combination of issues Hubert is ignorant too.

Either way, this moment of vulnerability has given Hubert something to think about. Maybe Ferdinand’s brand of isolation has hurt him deeper than Hubert had thought. He wonders how many times people grew bothered with Ferdinand’s tendency to ramble.

He finds he doesn’t like thinking about how often he used to do the same thing, if only because he regrets hurting Ferdinand in such a way.

He takes Ferdinand’s notes in a hand and nods at the man. “Come. I’ll take you to your room.”

The walk is quiet, unusually so for Ferdinand. When they stop in front of his room, Hubert places a hand on his arm before handing him his notes. 

“Ferdinand,” he says, haltingly. “You… I don’t mind when you go off on tangents, if that concerns you.”

Blinking, Ferdinand takes his papers and his hair falls in front of his face as he turns. It’s a shy motion, wildly out of place on him. “Alright.” 

“If someone has made you feel that way-“

“Hubert,” Ferdinand says his name quietly. “Please, can we forget this happened? I am… I am embarrassed, to say the least.”

Hubert has every intention of bringing this topic back up, but he doesn’t want to push too hard. Especially when Ferdinand seems more volatile right now. 

“Alright,” He relents, taking his hand off Ferdinand, “Have a good night.”

“You too.”

There’s a sound from inside Ferdinand’s room when he’s walking the few meager steps to his own, and he pauses in his steps to listen. 

There are no other noises.

Sighing, he steps into his room.

  
  


**3\. He gets reckless**

Ferdinand is a sight on the field. 

He’s a sight everywhere, to be honest, but it’s different to see a normally cheery and carefree man with his face twisted and furious, lance striking down foe after foe. Hubert doesn’t think Ferdinand realizes how terrifying he would be to face. 

As intelligent as Ferdinand is, he has the habit of overlooking quite a few things. Especially when it pertains to himself. 

Hubert can’t blame him. He does the same thing.

But even as strong as Ferdinand is - and he is, Hubert’s watched him train enough times - sometimes strength can’t fix everything.

Like now, when Hubert can only watch as Ferdinand charges into the enemy, taking care of all enemies that get in his way. It’s a risky gambit, one that fails when he’s knocked off his horse by a powerful burst of magic. A knight advances on him.

Ferdinand is quick to get back on his feet, but he’s uncoordinated in his movements, recovering from his fall and fumbling for another weapon. The great sword doesn’t cut through his armor, but Hubert can see the metal crumple under the force. 

He casts banshee; the shriek filling the air before the assailant is crushed under the weight of the magic. Ferdinand looks surprised, but it quickly turns to relief when he gets a respite.

Hubert runs over to him, hands alight in a healing spell and angry. 

“What were you thinking?!” He hisses, waving his hand over the dented armor. “Have you never heard of waiting for back-up?”

“You helped, didn’t you?” Ferdinand argues, because he can never admit to anything easily. “I believe that counts as the back-up.”

“We could have avoided this if you hadn’t charged in headfirst!”

Ferdinand shrugs before retrieving his lance from the ground. “I broke their ranks. It seemed like a good move.”

“A move that could get you killed.” 

“Any move in battle can get us killed, Hubert.” Ferdinand says, “This is no different.”

“Unnecessary risks differ from good battle maneuvers.” Hubert snarls, so upset that he can feel Miasma at his fingertips. He forces himself to calm down, keeping the black magic at bay and keeping the healing at front. “We need you to survive.”

Ferdinand pushes his hands away, “I realize that, Hubert. I know what I’m doing. I’m a general, remember?”

“So am I.” He reminds him, “And I’m saying that move was stupid.”

“You’re the same rank as me.”

“I’m older than you.” He says, because he can’t focus on being smart whenever Ferdinand’s involved.

Ferdinand stares at him - which is stupid to do in the middle of battle - and Hubert stares back.

“Your defense is that you’re _older_?“ Ferdinand asks incredulously. “Hubert, that is-“

“Get back on your horse.” Hubert says, not at all flustered. He turns away, “We have a battle to finish.”

“Uh-huh.” Ferdinand mutters, “Never let me win at anything.” But he hears the sounds of Ferdinand getting back in his saddle, and the familiar trot of hooves. Ferdinand wags a finger at him. “This isn’t over, mister.”

“Don’t you have things to impale?” He asks irritably. Then he warps away. 

Sometimes he’s allowed to be dramatic.

But then it’s finished. Ferdinand finds him. He smiles at Hubert and the image of a horrible enemy fades and all he can see is him. Some strands of his long hair have come loose from the braid Hubert had put it in, sticking up in every possible direction.

It’s a recurring thought Hubert has, not making it any less true, that he thinks Ferdinand is beautiful.

“So,” Ferdinand says, dismounting next to Hubert and Edelgard, “You’re older than me?”

Hubert fights back the groan. Beside him, Edelgard watches with a bemused smile. “Must you bring it back up?”

“I just find it curious how someone as intelligent and put together as you only had the argument of ‘I’m older than you’ to gain authority.”

“You did what?” Edelgard asks. Hubert gives her a look. It’s quickly becoming the _‘it’s a me and Ferdinand thing’_ look. She nods a little, smile growing wider. 

“To think he believes he outranks me because he’s older than me, well, it’s outrageous.” Ferdinand continues, “That is clearly not how these matters go, and it was-“

“Actually, he’s right.” Edelgard said, straightfaced. “He outranks you because he’s older.”

Hubert takes great satisfaction in Ferdinand’s ensuing stutter, and even more in Edelgard’s content look. He thinks back to the night in the library, where he compared Ferdinand’s behavior to that of a sibling. 

Watching him and Edelgard interact, he thinks maybe she wanted that relationship with him as well. Losing her family weighed heavily on her, he knew, and he also knew that he wasn’t enough to fill all the holes in her heart.

“Lady Edelgard agrees. That means you have to listen to me.” That came out more petulant than he wanted. From the looks both of them give, Ferdinand’s annoyed and Edelgard’s fond, they are of a similar mind.

“This is not how an army works.” Ferdinand says. His face seems troubled by the idea.

“I’m the Emperor, so I make the rules.” Edelgard tells him. “So, yes, it is how the army works.”

“But I’m older than you.” Ferdinand says, “Does that mean-“

“No,” Both he and Edelgard say at the same time before she continues. “A General isn’t higher than the Emperor, Ferdinand. Use your brain.”

Ferdinand’s expression grows all the more confused, irritation beginning to bleed in. “I am trying. You are making matters of rank hard for me to understand.”

“Next time, listen to me.” Hubert offers. The chances of Rhea showing up and begging them to kill her are higher than Ferdinand ever doing that. “There, problem solved.”

“I don’t want to listen to you.” Yes, just as he thought. Unfortunate.

“You must.”

“Yes, you have to.” Edelgard says. Hubert smirks at Ferdinand, who pouts at him.

“Unfair.” Ferdinand grouses before getting back on his horse. “Should have known you’d take his side.”

“It’s not taking his side if it’s the law.”

Ferdinand pauses, looking down at the two of them with wide eyes. “Please tell me you didn’t make that a law.”

Edelgard gives a serene smile. Hubert wants to do the same, if only to keep provoking Ferdinand’s reaction.

“Edelgard.” It’s amazing how much pleading fits into the word.

Silence.

“I hate both of you.” Ferdinand is about to steer his mount away, but Hubert speaks out.

“Try not and run into any other battlefields, would you? I can’t save you every time.”

Ferdinand glares at him, no heat behind it, and then he points his nose up in the air. Somehow his horse does this too. “I don’t listen to you!” And then he’s off. 

Edelgard lets out a laugh, more of quiet exhale, and turns to Hubert. “You said you were older than him? That was your argument?”

He feels it prudent to point out he was worried about Ferdinand and wasn’t exactly using all his brain power. He shrugged. Edelgard nods, expecting this.

“Our dear Prime Minister ran into the front lines, did he?”

“He almost got his ribcage shattered is what he did.” He complains, “If I hadn’t been there-“

“Oh, you were just worried. I see.”

He is not an emotionally strong man so he can’t take much teasing. Hubert would even go so far as to say he can’t take any teasing. “Lady Edelgard, please.”

“Hubert, I never get to tease you like this.” She says, amused. “Let me have my fun.”

Hubert sighs, resigning himself to a march back to Garreg Mach that will no doubt be borderline torture for him.

Well, at least he gets an excuse to think about Ferdinand. 

Not that he needed one.

**4\. He can be rude. (And oblivious)**

As much as Hubert loves him, he can admit to Ferdinand having faults. 

He doubts he would feel half of what he does if Ferdinand were to be a beacon of light for everything. No, the man can be rude and hurtful to those he doesn’t like.

Hubert can attest to this. Most of his life, Ferdinand subjected him to that aspect of his personality. It’s not that Hubert didn’t ask for it, or even goad him into doing it, it’s just a fact.

Now, it’s mostly amusing to see other people he shocked by how mean the ‘bright and compassionate’ Prime Minister can be. 

(Not to say he disagrees with those two adjectives, either. They’re true. It just so happens Ferdinand has many, many sides to him. 

Sides that Hubert is having fun discovering.)

He doubts Ferdinand’s aware of it. For as empathic the man is, he seems to have a special lack of regard towards himself. His hair, for example.

The man is oblivious, to put it plainly.

The point is, Hubert takes great joy in seeing the rude part of Ferdinand come out, especially during times when it’s utterly inappropriate. 

Like when speaking to foreign dignitaries. It’s even better for Hubert when they’re obviously infatuated with Ferdinand, only for him to say something impolite.

“-Would you happen to be available for dinner tonight, Prime Minister?” The ambassador from Morfis asks, “I would hate for our conversation to end so soon.”

“Oh, I would, but unfortunately my dear friends play debuts tonight. I could not miss it for anything.” 

“Perhaps I could accompany you?” As the ambassador is asking, Ferdinand catches sight of Hubert. His face lights up. Hubert has a hard time not smiling. “Hubert! Hello!”

“Ferdinand,” He greets, nodding towards the ambassador. “Hello, Ambassador. I trust your stay is going well?”

“Very well, Minister Vestra. Duke Aegir-“ Hubert catches the way Ferdinand falters at the title. He will take great joy in ruining the Ambassador’s plans. “Has been a great help during my visit.”

“Ferdinand loves Enbarr and knows all her splendors.” He agrees before looking back to Ferdinand, “Speaking of, Dorothea wished me to remind you about her play.”

“As if I could ever forget!” Ferdinand complains, “It has been on my calendar for months!”

“Yes, I know. You mention it constantly.”

“Forgive my excitement,” he huffs out, then he brightens again, already forgetting Hubert’s teasing. “Oh, I’m so excited to see it! You’re going, aren’t you?”

“Of course.” 

“We must go together, then!” Ferdinand continues on, completely oblivious to how the Ambassador wilts next to him. He’s also completely ignoring the invitation he just received. Hubert is not a good man, so he does not try to point it out. “You will have a good time. I assure you!”

Hubert doesn’t like the opera, but he likes Ferdinand. He also doesn’t like Ferdinand spending time with those who mean to suit him.

It’s a win-win for him, really.

“I’ll defer to your judgement.”

“Splendid! I will see you later!” And with that, Ferdinand if bounding off. No doubt to visit the stables. Goddess forbid him to go a day without visiting his horses.

“I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay, Ambassador,” Hubert says, barely containing his smugness.

The ambassador nods, looking lost. 

**5\. He has a lovely singing voice**

When he wakes up, it’s in the uncomfortable cot in the infirmary. He’d taken an unfortunate hit, not anything that would have killed, but enough to where Edelgard deemed it enough to put him on ‘mandatory bedrest’.

Foolish, if you asked him. Not that anyone had.

There’s a hand in his. Hubert will bet it’s Ferdinand’s based on the calluses and faint scars he can feel, but his eyes are still closed.

The grip Ferdinand has on him isn’t tight. It’s cautious, careful not to wake Hubert up. In his defense, it hadn’t, although it should have. He wakes up at an ungodly hour every day.

Then, Ferdinand begins to sing. It’s quiet, careful like his hold, but there. 

“It might not be the right time, I might not be the right one. But there’s something about us I want to say, cause there’s something between us anyway.” Ferdinand’s hand slips from his and Hubert has to stop himself from reaching out to find it again, only for Ferdinand’s hand to brush the bangs out of his face. 

It’s a tender touch, one that only makes Hubert’s urge to open his eyes and see more prevalent. 

“I might not be the right one,” Ferdinand continues, the tone a touch warbly from his effort to be quiet. “It might not be the right time, but there’s something about us I’ve got to do. Some kind of secret I will share with you.”

Hubert wills himself to stay still, to pretend to sleep. He continues listening to Ferdinand.

“I need you more than anything in my life. I want you more than anything in my life.” The next lines get even more quiet, forcing Hubert to strain to hear them. “I’ll miss you more than anyone in my life. I… I love you more than anyone in my life.”

The air is still when Ferdinand’s finished singing, the only sound the two of them breathing. Ferdinand’s hand goes back to his, this time carefully laying on top of it. 

“I wish I knew what you do,” Ferdinand whispers. “I know I cannot, for your work is secret. But every time you leave, I worry. And now you return like this…” he doesn’t finish his sentence.

Hubert has been in Ferdinand’s exact position before. It isn’t a pleasant one to be in. It doesn’t happen anymore, with the war being over, but there were a few times Ferdinand had gotten hurt and their roles were reversed.

It seems the only difference is that Hubert is awake to these quiet hours. Ferdinand had always been asleep during his visits when he had expressed the same thought. He’d been sure of it. 

He wonders how many times he’d missed this before.

A sob escapes Ferdinand, although it’s promptly silenced, like Ferdinand hadn’t been expecting it. The hand on his shakes. Hubert thinks Ferdinand is using his other to stop the sounds, but it only makes the muffled crying more heartbreaking.

Unable to pretend any longer, he flips his hand over and grabs Ferdinand’s, weaving their fingers together.

**+1. He loves Hubert**

The reaction is immediate, Ferdinand’s hand jerks in his grasp, a noise coming out of him. Hubert opens his eyes to see Ferdinand’s wide wet ones staring back at him.

He doesn’t like the pain he sees in them.

“H-Hubert,” Ferdinand stutters. He looks exhausted, eye bags and unkempt hair. Hubert hates that he’s caused this. “You… how long have you been awake?”

“Long enough.” He says. He knows not to how long Ferdinand has been here, or if he’d done anything else before Hubert had woken up, but he refuses to let this opportunity go to waste.

“Ah,” Ferdinand looks away, face red in embarrassment, “I… I should let you rest. I apologize for waking you up.” Ferdinand tries to pull his hand back, but Hubert stubbornly holds on, not willing to let him leave. “Hubert-“

“Stay,” Hubert says. Ferdinand looks like he’d rather do anything beside that, but his hand stills in his. Hubert doesn’t relax his grip at all, enjoying the feeling of the others hand in his. “I’m sorry for worrying you. “

“No,” Ferdinand shakes his head. “I understand what your job entails.”

“That doesn’t make your concern any less real.”

“No,” He agrees. “But perhaps it is silly of me to worry when I can never control the outcome.”

“Emotions are rarely rational.” He jostles their hands to get Ferdinand to look at him. “It wasn’t a bad injury, Ferdinand.”

“I know.” Ferdinand mutters, “but seeing you hurt… I cannot bear to see it, Hubert.”

Finally, Hubert finds some words that can comfort. “I do the same thing whenever you’re injured, you know.” He winces, “That is, aside from the singing. I am awful at it.”

Despite his efforts at a lighter atmosphere, which is usually Ferdinand’s job, Ferdinand seems only to crumple more, like his strings have been cut. “You heard that, too?”

“I did.” He responds, “You have a nice voice, Ferdinand.”

“... Thank you,” Ferdinand says eventually. It’s said with a hesitance Hubert is learning to associate with him.

“Did you mean it?” He asks. “Or was it just part of the song?”

“I suppose it’s no use playing ignorant, is it?” Ferdinand sighs, once again looking away. His lips curl into a small smile, more sad than happy. “Both, I suppose. I love you, and it was part of the song. Fitting, I had thought.”

If Ferdinand feels the same way, Hubert thinks it isn’t worth keeping his feelings back angry longer. It wasn’t like he was doing a very good job of it, anyway.

“Look at me?” He asks. 

It takes a few seconds for Ferdinand to do so, but eventually he does. His face is exhausted. Hubert sits up before tugging Ferdinand closer. 

The surprise on his face hurts to see.

“I love you, too.” He says, “Please, I ask that you not suffer over this. It is not worth your tears.” He uses his other hand to cup Ferdinand’s cheek, wiping at the tears with a thumb. He’s gratified when Ferdinand leans into it, his free hand covering Hubert’s.

“As you said, emotions are not rational.” Ferdinand says, “I think I will continue to get over you, since you won’t do it yourself.”

“I can think of worse things than letting you take care of me,” He says, but even the thought of allowing someone else to do things for him makes his gut flip. He doesn’t know if it’s a good or bad feeling. 

“And here I thought you were good at lying.” Ferdinand muses. He lets go of Hubert’s hand, opting to wrap it around the wrist of the one holding him. “I know it’s not in you to let others care, but… I would like it if you let me.”

Hubert swallows. “I can try.”

“That is all I can ever ask you to do.” Ferdinand says, “And I thank you for doing so.”

The two of them sit there for a while before Ferdinand lets go. Hubert’s hand drops and Ferdinand stands up.

“Where are you going?” He asks.

“You should get more rest.” Ferdinand says, “I’ve intruded enough, I think.”

The next words out of Hubert’s mouth would have horrified a younger him. “On the contrary, you could stand to intrude a little more.”

Ferdinand’s face crinkles in mirth. “My dear Minister, you may find you’ll regret saying that.”

“If it keeps you here, I won’t.”

The amusement fades and all that’s left on Ferdinand is fondness. Love. “You want me to stay?”

“I have a vague memory of me saying I love you,” Hubert says, face heating up. "I think I would very much appreciate it if you stayed."

Ferdinand laughs, a snort escaping him. The sound does funny things to Hubert’s heart. 

“I recall saying I love you, as well. Strange, is it not?” Ferdinand sits back down. “I’ll stay.”

Hubert isn’t happy yet. He scoots over. “In bed.”

Ferdinand stares. The two of them are red now, Ferdinand nearly matching his hair. “Hubert-“

Manipulation. Hubert is good at that. Lets try that instead. “I thought you loved me?”

That gets him an eye-roll. “I do, but this is the infirmary.”

Maybe Ferdinand is onto something. “You’re right. Help me to my room. This bed is uncomfortable.”

“They are, aren’t they?” Ferdinand asks, “Alright. Here,” He helps Hubert out of bed. His side aches at the movement. At his wince, Ferdinand stops moving. “Is it bad?”

“Not horrible.”

Ferdinand nods. “I have an idea.”

“I pray it’s a good one.” His legs are swept out from under him and he’s in Ferdinand’s arms. “Ferdinand.”

“Less pain?” Ferdinand asks, awfully cheerful. 

Hubert is having a hard time focusing since he’s in Ferdinand’s arms. It’s a good place to be. “I suppose.” 

“Then it works.”

“This is embarrassing.”

“You gave me an excuse to have you in my arms.” Ferdinand admits, shyer this time. “Apologies, but I couldn’t let this pass me by.”

“You’ve always been disgustingly opportunistic.” 

“To think I have yet to hear you complain.”

“How strange.” Hubert agrees. 

“Very strange.” Ferdinand echoes. His grin is unabashed. It’s a good look on him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now hurry up.”

\---

To Hubert’s great embarrassment, they run into Edelgard, who was on her way to see Hubert. 

But the way her face lit up at the sight was worth it. As was how happy Ferdinand was.

**Author's Note:**

> This was another thing that had been sitting in wip hell for a LONG time so I finally finished it. I wrote like 4k words of it over the past 2 days and now I am tired.
> 
> I think I'm going to focus on finishing all my wips rn before starting new projects but who knows? My ways are mysterious
> 
> My keyboard also isnt working so I wrote this all on my phone. My friends, I am suffering 
> 
> [My Twitter!](https://mobile.twitter.com/diddlydang1)


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